Cincinnati Masters 2024: 3 dark horses to win the men's singles title ft. Tommy Paul
The main draw of the Cincinnati Open begins on Monday, August 12. It is one of the six Masters 1000 tournaments played on hardcourt and also one of the three played in the United States.
Hence, it is one of the most prestigious tournaments played on hardcourt. In the absence of the redoubtable Novak Djokovic, the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will fancy their chances of winning the title in Cincinnati.
However, there are also going to be a few dark horses who will stand a chance of triumphing there. In this article, we will take a look at three such players:
#3 Tommy Paul
Being An American, Tommy Paul will be well-versed in the conditions in Cincinnati. Besides, the 27-year-old is a solid player on hardcourt.
Paul is currently ranked 12th in the world. He has beaten players like Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, and Alexander Zverev in Masters 1000 tournaments in the past. The American won the cinch Championships at the Queen's Club in London this year and has a fair chance of going deep in Cincinnati.
#2 Sebastian Korda
Korda is one of the most elegant players in the world, whose game seldom fails to entertain spectators. However, the 24-year-old American has not yet been able to entirely do justice to the potential that others have seen in him.
Still, in 2024, Korda has been able to string together some consistent performances. He reached the final of S-Hertogenbosch, the semifinal of the cinch Championships, and then won the title at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., his maiden ATP 500 title. Hence, the American will be one of the contenders to spring a surprise on his home soil in Cincinnati.
#1 Felix Auger-Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime used to be a genuine top-10 quality player a couple of years ago, reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 6 in 2022. However, an injury befell him thereafter and his ranking plummeted as a result.
Auger-Aliassime has not been able to do much this year aside from reaching the Madrid Open final, where he lost to Andrey Rublev. However, the 24-year-old Canadian has a potent enough serve and a quality forehand to cause damage at the highest level.
He might be able to pose a significant threat on the medium-fast courts in Cincinnati. He might also fancy his chances of making a deep run into the tournament.